Fall Tablescape-Two Ways

*This post may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my small business…at no extra cost to yourself!

Decorating for holidays can be so much fun, especially creating tablescapes. The only problem? You often need one table design for a meal and a different one for everyday. That’s why I’m sharing a Fall tablescape-two ways with you-one for a meal and one for everyday use, utilizing items you already own!

The first table decor idea I’m sharing is obviously for a sit-down meal. There are dishes and flatware at each place setting and the centerpiece decor is fairly simplified and easy to remove while guests are seated and eating.

I also tried to use things that I already had on-hand to decorate with. I love collecting little bits throughout the year that will be perfect for tablescapes or adding a bit of seasonal feeling to our home for different holidays, without being too “themey”.

There is something so special about having fresh flowers as the focal point of my seasonal table, but if the arrangement is too tall, it’s hard for people to make eye contact and carry on a conversation. You can definitely make shorter arrangements, think a tight ball of roses in a low bowl, but if you want something bigger, just make sure that you can easily move it while people are eating, and then move it back into place after.

The same can be said of the decor on the table, surrounding the flowers. If it’s something that is two tall, it will impede the flow of conversation and make the meal less comfortable. Since we want guests to enjoy themselves and linger at our tables, make sure your decor is lower than eye level or easy to pick up and move for the meal.

I love using what I have to decorate my tables for different holidays. I keep a stack of well-loved ironstone on the shelves built into our island, perfect to pull out for a special tablescape. I used two ironstone platters on either side of the floral arrangement to corral my smaller decorations. I kept it super simple with a few faux pumpkins and the cutest vintage acorn salt + pepper shakers!

I actually have a few salt + pepper shakers for different seasons and love to use them strictly as decor. If I thought the table needed a salt and pepper to be used during the meal, I would set out a bigger (still pretty) set. The vintage salt + pepper shakers are fun, easy to come by, and are budget-friendly decor!

The dishes and flatware are new this year, but I have been eyeing them FOREVER. I finally took the plunge to buy them and am so happy that I did! We use them every day, they wash like a dream, plus they are microwave and dishwasher safe. The best part?? They look amazing, so I can feel great about using them on my holiday table, as well, as having something beautiful to use daily.

I have a small collection of colored glassware, perfect for setting a pretty holiday table. I have thrifted all of the drinking glasses, which means there isn’t always a full set. If I can get an even number of glasses, I will grab them, knowing I can mix and match (like I did here) to have enough for all the place settings.

The mix of blue and green vintage glasses is more interesting that using just one color of them, so it doesn’t even bother me that I don’t have full sets of either.

When you’re not hosting a meal at your home, it can be hard to know how to decorate your dining table when it’s not in use.

Using the same table runner, I created a simplified Fall table design, using decorations I had on-hand, some that aren’t even seasonal, but simply create that feeling.

I still wanted the fresh florals to be the focal point of the everyday Fall tablescape, so I used a butcher block riser to give them a little boost. Then I added in some brass, books, and vintage chippiness to frame the flowers.

One decorating trick using books that I love is to face the pages of the books out. It creates a softer and more natural design—especially great for Fall! The brass ducks (which I’m pretty sure everyone had in their house in the 1990’s) add a warmth and bit of fun to the tablescape.

On the other side of the flowers, I added a chippy white metal scale with a faux pumpkin on top. Behind that, I layered two brass candle sticks (to balance the brass from the other side) with pink tapers for a bit of fun. To make the display a little more neutral, I could have used white or cream tapers, but I love the pop of color! Plus, it pulls in the pink from the tassels on the table runner.

To finish the Fall tablescape, I placed a deer shed on either side of the decor. I love the way the sheds frame everything and add a touch of nature. Fall decorating is all about bringing the outside in, whether it be dried grasses (I can’t have them—our cat won’t leave them alone), pinecones and acorns, Indian corn, or pumpkins.

The beautiful fresh flowers I used in the tablescapes are from Fieldbouquet.

Whether you’re hosting a meal at your home soon or just want your table to look nice for Fall, I hope I’ve inspired you to take a look around your house to see what items you can use to create a lovely tablescape.

With a few switch-outs, you can easily create two different looks, depending on your hosting or decorating needs!

If you’ve created a tablescape for Fall, I would love to see! Share a picture in your stories on Instagram and tag me! You can find me on Instagram at @hilaryprall.